Deja Voodoo (Canadian band)

Og Music

Company type	Independent record label
Industry	Music
Founded	1982
Founder	Gerard van Herk, Tony Dewald
Defunct	1990
Fate	Sold by founders
Headquarters	Montreal , Canada
Area served	Canada, United States, Europe
Products	Music albums, singles, compilations
Owner	Gerard van Herk, Tony Dewald (original)

Deja Voodoo was a garage rock group originating from Canada, founded by Gerard van Herk (guitar and vocals) alongside Tony Dewald (drums). Their sound combined elements of 1950s horror aesthetics with influences drawn from rockabilly and country music. Van Herk uniquely played guitar using just four strings and delivered vocals in a notably deep tone, while Dewald's drum setup, notably lacking cymbals, produced a distinctive low-treble "sludgeabilly" sonic texture. The band toured extensively across Canada, the United States, and Europe.

Early days

Both Montreal-born in the 1960s, Van Herk and Dewald established Deja Voodoo in 1981. Their repertoire consisted of brief tracks inspired by punk and rockabilly styles. During a period of rapid growth in Montreal’s independent music scene, fueled by an influx of Western Canadian migrants, numerous specialized bands emerged, resulting in a saturated market. Initially, Deja Voodoo found it challenging to build a following beyond Montreal but began to gain recognition outside Quebec by 1982, particularly in Toronto.

Career

The band's pivotal moment arrived with the creation of their independent label, Og Music, in 1982. This began with a second pressing of their debut single "Monsters in My Garage," enabling them to manage their own distribution. Their first complete release was the cassette Gumbo, which achieved strong sales locally but had limited penetration nationally. This broadened with the 1984 vinyl album Cemetery, which found distribution throughout Canada and appeared in select retail outlets in the US and Europe.

Og Music also supported other artists within the "sludgeabilly" genre by issuing compilation LPs as part of the It Came from Canada series. Between 1985 and 1989, five volumes were released showcasing Montreal bands such as Jerry Jerry and the Sons of Rhythm Orchestra and The Gruesomes, alongside groups from across Canada. Over seven years, Og Records issued 29 albums, concluding with a live Deja Voodoo recording captured in Finland.

As Og Records expanded, Deja Voodoo increased their touring schedule throughout Canada—including western locations like Prince George, British Columbia—and undertook multiple European tours with an emphasis on Greece and Finland. They secured semi-regular airplay on CBC Radio’s overnight program Brave New Waves. Additionally, the band hosted yearly indoor events known as "Voodoo BBQ's," which became well-attended occasions culminating in a reunion concert held in Toronto in 2008.

Although they achieved success within niche circles, Deja Voodoo did not break into mainstream music markets. By 1990, both members decided to disband and sell Og Records to focus on different career paths. Van Herk pursued academia as a university linguistics professor until his retirement in 2019. Dewald moved into brewing on Canada’s West Coast and eventually became head brewer at Trading Post Brewing located in Langley, British Columbia. He passed away due to cancer on August 29, 2024. Earlier that same year, Van Herk revealed an agreement with Montreal’s Return to Analog Records for reissuing their first five albums.

In 2011, Mark Davis and Lorrie Matheson recorded a cover of Deja Voodoo’s "Too Cool to Live, Too Smart to Die" for the charity compilation Have Not Been the Same.

Albums

• Cemetery (1984) (Og Music)
• Too Cool to Live, Too Smart to Die (1985) (Midnight Records)
• Swamp of Love (1986) (Og Music)
• The Worst of Deja Voodoo (1987) (Og Music)
• Gotta Have Money (1987) (Gaga Goodies)
• Big Pile of Mud (1988) (Og Music)
• Too Cool to Live, Too Smart to Die (88 re-recordings) (1988) (Og Records)
• Live at The Backstage Club, Helsinki Finland (1989) (Gaga Goodies and Og Music)

Singles

• "Monsters in My Garage" (1982) (Og Music)
• "Cemetery" (1984) (Og Music)
• "Hiekkaa Hietarannan" (1988) (Gaga Goodies)

Cassettes

• "Gumbo, 17 Sludgeabilly Greats!" (1983) (Og Music)

Compilation Contributions

• From Montreal (1983)
• It Came from Canada, Vol. 1 through Vol. 5 (1985–1989) (Og Music)
• On Garde Reargarde Magazine 14 Montreal Bands (1989) (Cargo Records)
• 50th Birthday Tribute to Buddy Holly cassette (1986) (Hipocket Records)

Music Videos

• The House of Doctor Stimuli
• White Sugar

References

Citations

External links

• Barry, Chris. “Sludge Report”. Montreal Mirror, October 20–26, 2005. Vol. 21, No. 18.
• Deja Voodoo on WorldCat